Vernon Kaye hosts Mod War 2 launch

By Ellie Gibson Published 9 November, 2009

Dexter Fletcher and Black Eyed Pea attend.

The launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 kicked off with a special event in Leicester Square tonight.

Self-confessed COD addict Vernon Kay compered the proceedings at the Vue cinema. He told the audience that this will be "the biggest entertainment launch of any game ever".

"It's about time videogames got this kind of accolade," said Kay. "Who would have thought a videogame would get a launch in a cinema in Leicester Square?"

Well-known names turning up on the camo carpet, as spotted by Johnny Minkley, included Goldie, Dom Joly, Danny Dyer, Dexter Fletcher "and a Black Eyed Pea".

Also in attendance were Billy Murray (no that's Billy with a Y, as in the man who does the voice of Captain Price). Craig Fairbrass (who played Gaz in COD 4) and Kevin McKidd (the voice of Seargeant "Soap" McTavish).

After a bit of blather from Kay there was a video of some talking heads ("Will Modern Warfare 2 deliver? I bloody well hope so" - Johnny Minkley) followed by a sneak peek at the game. Then a couple of celebs and some plain old gamers took to the stage for a bit of multiplayer, which was punctuated by Goldie saying things like "HAVE SOME OF THAT" and Dom Joly shouting, "Come on Goldie, F*** HIM UP." The winners received a copy of Call of Duty on DS.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (41) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • almighty-slayer #1 2 years ago

    Annoying bloke. Seriously. I dont like him.

  • agparrot #2 2 years ago

    Bah, would *still* have been better to have it at the expo... celolbrity event just sounds a bit disparate and lame. I'm sure Minkley loved rubbing against Dom Joly and that, but this is just some removed event I can read about, rather than a gamers event I could have been involved in.

    The prize was a copy of call of duty on DS? Woo! Last of the big spenders! Budget run out after paying for the cream of british celebrity, had it?

  • Verminox #3 2 years ago

    "OUR SURVAY SES"

  • lordofdeadside #4 2 years ago

    That about sums it up. Lowest common denominator gaming of the highest order. Roll up chavs, roll up.

  • Ignatius_Cheese #5 2 years ago

    They call those sorts celebrities...!? Jesus wept...

    The expo was a far better place without MW2.

    Activision, don't bother calling...

  • Emmit_Assassin #6 2 years ago

    'The winners received a copy of Call of Duty on DS.'
    Which they later used to light their gas fire at home.

  • nickthegun #7 2 years ago

    i hope dexter was wearing his gamesmaster boiler suit.

  • Gl3n #8 2 years ago

    The Dom Joly quote :)

  • pesser #9 2 years ago

    'The winners received a copy of Call of Duty on DS.'

    AHAHAHAAHAA CHEAP CUNTS

  • local_celebrity #10 2 years ago

    Sounds like a veritable cunt soup.

    Vermin Kaye seems to be everywhere these days. He's like the human form of chlamydia.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 21:39

  • AphoticCosmos #11 2 years ago

    Vernon Kay strikes me as someone who could have been cast in Zoolander as himself.

    MW2 is reductionist garbage. They have nerfed the PC version so hard that I won't buy another Activision product for a long, long time.

  • Goodfella #12 2 years ago

    For f**ks sake I am so sick of hearing about this f**king game.

    Meanwhile, other better games don't get bought.

    Roll on the chav hysteria tomorrow.

  • bebox2010 #13 2 years ago

    WOW Vernon Kay eh? Well it's nice to know IW aren't wasting ANY of their profits getting any big stars to host. What's that lanky git cost? A fiver and promise to get someone to do his hair? (looks shite anyway). FAIL Vernon FAIL.

  • Quint2020 #14 2 years ago

    This game is so bloody overrated, it's just insane.

  • tachometer #15 2 years ago

    If it's up there I'll give you the money me'self!

  • local_celebrity #16 2 years ago

    I'd have loved to have been there, though. Just to be able to do my Craig Fairbrass impression to Craig Fairbrass.

    "We're LOSING THIS FIGHT!!!"

    "Our UAV is online"

    "We've taken the LEAADDD!!" (Need a lot of spit in your mouth for that one)

    I'm sure he would have loved every minute...

  • photoboy #17 2 years ago

    I cannot stand Vernon Kay. I'd be tempted to cancel my pre-order in protest if it hadn't already shipped. Yes, I'd be willing to forego MW2 just to make a point. Don't hire him again Activision.

  • RESIDENT_nEVILe #18 2 years ago

    -The loss of dedicated server support, I had to take
    -The whole F.A.G.S debacle was poor judgement, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt
    -Using an Eminem song in your advert made me grit my teeth

    BUT VERNON FUCKING KAYE!?!?!?

    I am breaking up with you Infinity Ward.

    /cancels pre-order

  • sargulesh #19 2 years ago

    Roll up chavs, roll up.

    classist and elitist and horrible much?

  • makeamazing #20 2 years ago

    Is it me or is this game getting as much negative press as did GTA when it came out... gamers seem to be reading lots of things about the game and then complaining they are reading too much about the game... crazy

  • fobsta #21 2 years ago

    Vernon - we launched Getaway in Leicester Square years ago..... Somebody even bothered to bring a real gun along and got arrested. Team Soho are that hard.

  • Eraysor #22 2 years ago

    Not really sure why people are getting so annoyed about this. I totally agree that these people are far outside of the dedicated gamer's interests, but the game itself appeals to a far bigger audience than just the hardcore gamer group. Half the reason why CoD is so successful is because it appeals to the hardcore audience and the general population.

  • FooAtari #23 2 years ago

    Kevin McKidd's auntie taught German at my school

    /claim to fame.

  • Fleeby #24 2 years ago

    Review anyone?

  • Blunners #25 2 years ago

    Can't wait for this game going down the shops in a min to get it

  • almighty-slayer #26 2 years ago

    Yeah, why have there been no reviews yet? Why have an embargo that ends on the day the game comes out?

  • insincere_dave #27 2 years ago

    Sadly, Vernon Kay is my cousin.

    (it took edits to decide how to spell his surname, I'm clearly busted... move along).
    Edited by 2 at 09/11/09 @ 23:05

  • kupocake #28 2 years ago

    So, will the Kotick family be appearing on Family Fortunes as part of this media cross-over?

    "We asked 100 PC gamers why they wouldn't be purchas---"
    "Dedicated Servers."
    "Our Survey Says"
    "Ding"
    Edited by 2 at 09/11/09 @ 23:06

  • gammonbanter #29 2 years ago

    Vernon Kay, wtf! Might not buy a copy now! (I'm actually bitter I wasn't there).

    The expo would have been a perfect launch though, oh well!

  • man-of-steel #30 2 years ago

    Why is this game so hyped up. Its no more than a glorified mission and maps pack of cod4 with a couple of new features.

  • almighty-slayer #31 2 years ago

    Kupocake wins.

  • ElNino9 #32 2 years ago

    Vernon fucking Kaye?

    What a cunt.

  • macmurphy #33 2 years ago

    lol at poor blunners for getting negged for saying he liked the game and wanted to buy it. Hardly malicious.
    Two reviews on metacritic, both 100%. The price jump is a bit naughty but understandable from a business point of view. I think the review embargo is a much worse precedent, though my guess is most of the sites played it and figured since it was as good as IW are making out they didn't need to warn people not to buy it. I'm also off to Asda shortly to get it for bargain bucket £32, neg away.

    Edit. Kupocake is indeed full of win.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 23:25

  • GooseUK #34 2 years ago

    Kirk, i detect traces of sarcasm in the tone of this article.

  • clockworkzombie #35 2 years ago

    I have my copies. prestige for 360 and hardened for PS3. Only ordered standard for PS3 the shop upgraded me for free as they had a copy left needing a home.

    I will give the bits to one of my friends. Like the book and CoD classic download code.

  • t8yman #36 2 years ago

    Well I just picked it up in adsa for £32 on the ps3. it will be my first serious foray into online ps3 world. I didnt rate the campaign, but the reviews so far suggest I am a mental. the MP is going to be great fun, and all the PC gamer haters and elitist pricks need to get a grip. I hate the price hike (but didnt pay it), I understand the PC version is gimped - but for christs sake get over yourselves, if the PC gaming market was where the moolah was - they would have been bumming you to death with extra loveliness - as it stands, the console market IS the future of gaming for anyone who doesnt want to sit at a desk to play a game. Actually - its the future of gaming - deal with it. Please. Take that £6 million you had put aside for your new graphics card and go and meet some girls (or boys).

  • GamerG #37 2 years ago

    What theee Vernon Kaye, the man that opened up the NFL London game?

    He has a good agent i'll give him that

  • kinky_mong #38 2 years ago

    Bloody hell what a gaggle of cunts that launch party was!

    Hilariously I've been watching Band Of Brothers recently, so it's good to see Dexter Fletcher's career is going from strength to strength [/massive sarcasm]

  • Boomerang #39 2 years ago

    This thread has the most liberal use of the word 'cunt' i've seen yet.

    [+1] for "cunt soup" and "what a gaggle of cunts"!

  • Notallowedhere #40 2 years ago

    "Who would have thought a videogame would get a launch in a cinema in Leicester Square?"

    I imagine Sony did in 2002 when they did the same fucking thing for the getaway

  • TrevSkyline #41 2 years ago

    Vernon Kaye owns a Nissan GTR, he plays games and is married to Tess Daily.

    I'd say top man for those reasons alone.